More Clippers news

The NBA appointed Dick Parsons as the interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers, league commissioner Adam Silver announced Friday, marking the next step toward the organization’s post-Donald Sterling future.

Parsons’ arrival as a seasoned business executive should provide an anchor for the Clippers in sorting out their management hierarchy, especially as Donald’s wife Shelly Sterling continues fighting for her stake in ownership.

The 66-year-old Parsons is a former chairman of both Citigroup and Time Warner, and is a senior advisor at Providence Equity Partners. He played basketball at Hawaii before attending Albany Law School and working on multiple presidential staffs.

The NBA placed Clippers president Andy Roeser on an indefinite leave of absence earlier this week to provide a “clean slate” for the new CEO. Roeser was considered the right-hand man to Clippers owner Donald Sterling, whom Silver banned from the NBA for life after audio of his racist comments was leaked by TMZ and Deadspin.

“Like most Americans, I have been deeply troubled by the pain the Clippers’ team, fans and partners have endured,” Parsons, who is African American, said in a statement. “A lifelong fan of the NBA, I am firmly committed to the values and principles it is defending, and I completely support Adam’s leadership in navigating the challenges facing the team and the league.”

Shortly after the announcement, he said in a phone interview that he will assume both Sterling’s and Roeser’s former roles on the business side of the organization, while Clippers general manager Gary Sacks and head coach Doc Rivers oversee basketball operations. Parsons added that there are no plans for him to have a deputy.

“My job is to build those two roles and provide leadership and stability to the team and to be the voice of ownership on matters that come before the NBA other than the sale of the team,” he said. “In terms of sale and who owns what and who’s going to own what as we go forward, that’s still in the court of the NBA.”

Advertisement

He also said that while Shelly Sterling — unaffected by the lifetime ban on her husband — is still the owner, she does not have a role with the team.

League owners must come up with a three-fourths majority vote to force Sterling to sell the franchise, but Sterling is expected to drag the case out in court. Shelly Sterling has said that she intends to keep the team. The two co-own equal parts of the Clippers in a family trust.

Rivers said Thursday that Shelly Sterling’s continued ownership would be “very difficult” for many in the franchise, though he declined to comment on his personal feelings. She has taken criticism from many community leaders, including Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said the team needs a “clear break” from her family.

The NBA has declined to comment about Shelly Sterling’s future with the team, mindful of the sensitivity surrounding the issue. She has sparked criticism because court documents accused her of denigrating African Americans, Latinos and once posing as a health inspector. Shelly also was listed in numerous housing discrimination lawsuits against Donald Sterling’s real estate properties. But Shelly’s attorney, Pierce O’Donnell, noted in a statement on Thursday that testimony came in cases that were settled, which does not admit guilt.

But with both Rivers and the players union voicing reservations about Shelly Sterling’s involvement, there is a sense that the NBA will push to ensure that she does not retain a role with the team. Parsons conceded it’s “very hard to tell” how long this process will take.

“The league is hopeful that we can get through this transition period before the beginning of the next season,” Parsons said in the phone interview. “I hope they are right. But we will have to wait and see.”

In a statement released by her representatives, Shelly Sterling said she conferred with Silver on Friday morning and endorsed the league’s appointment of Parsons.

”Mr. Parsons has impressive management credentials in the important fields of the media, finance and professional sports,” she said. “He is an ideal choice to run the franchise until the ownership issues are clarified.”